Mata was one of three United players subbed off during the first half.

Manchester United hampered bitter rivals Liverpool’s Premier League title bid with a damaging goalless draw, despite losing three players to injury before the break.

In a bitty contest low on quality and entertainment, Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and substitute Jesse Lingard all suffered apparent hamstring issues by 43 minutes. Striker Marcus Rashford also played on, even though he picked up a knock early doors.

All these factors went against them, but Brazil goalkeeper Alisson clawing the ball away from Lingard’s feet represented the brightest moment of a limp match.

But do not mistake three injury enforced changes for hard luck. They represented a litany of naive mistakes.

First, ceaseless Spain midfielder Ander Herrera departed to the dressing room on 21 minutes. Then compatriot Juan Mata followed four minutes later, prior to his substitute Jesse Lingard – rushed back to fitness after he was hauled off against Paris Saint-Germain with a muscular issue – lasting just 18 minutes prior to trudging off.

Rashford also performed on painkillers after an early collision.

A trio of hamstring problems and trio of avoidable replacements. Burnley were the last to suffer such a shameful fate in the Premier League by half-time, against Newcastle United in January 2015.

There was no sign of an inquest, even though Anthony Martial and Lingard departed at the interval on March 13 versus PSG.

Solskjaer was at pains, pre-match, to say the latter could not play 90 minutes – and then thrust him on.

Nemanja Matic was also injured in training on Saturday. He and fatigued midfield partner Herrera have played 1,077 and 918 minutes, respectively, out of 1,170 under Solskjaer’s watch, before this game.

What type of team will United take to Crystal Palace on Wednesday?

The Norwegian’s mid-season impact has been dramatic. This was a public exhibition, however, of the fact he’s still learning on the job.

1 - Jesse Lingard is the first player to be substituted on and off in the first half of a Premier League match since Kevin Long for Burnley v Newcastle United in January 2015. Fleeting. #MUNLIVpic.twitter.com/qdA0maywSS

The odds of the fractured and disenchanted squad that Solskjaer inherited gaining this result approach zero.

Predecessor Jose Mourinho signed his own death warrant with the reprehensible 3-1 loss at Anfield in December. The, once, Special One played, what resembled, a shameful 8-1-1 formation then – and came nowhere close to a shut-out.

On Sunday, goalkeeper David De Gea had to face just one shot on target. On Merseyside, it was 11.

Bar wretched starts to both halves from skipper Ashley Young, United’s back-four were near faultless on Sunday. Maybe club legend Nemanja Vidic’s battle cry in the build-up about not wanting to swap Liverpool’s peerless Virgil van Dijk for any resident centre-back wasn’t fatuous, partisan drivel, after all…

They were ably assisted by youngsters Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira. Plus, a Paul Pogba, who although wasteful in possession, did a job defensively with three interceptions, two tackles and one clearance.

Roared on by a rejuvenated Old Trafford-crowd, United continue to make a steady ascent back to English football’s top table.

A landmark achievement risked being lost amid the hoopla that surrounds this fixture.

United’s David De Gea became just the seventh goalkeeper to reach 100 clean sheets in the Premier League. The only shock would have been the ease with which he gained the latest one, against anaemic Liverpool.

The Spaniard’s transformation from spindly, error-strewn replacement for Edwin van der Sar in 2011 until today is mind blowing. It is credit to his reserves of character, plus unquenched desire to learn and improve.

For context, the great Dutchman did not reach the 100 club in 186 top-flight matches for United. Only Peter Schmeichel has also got there for United.

De Gea has taken 264 games to achieve it. Van der Sar, however, had the likes of Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra guarding him.

His successor has looked forwards to see the likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.

A new contract for De Gea is of equal importance to whomever will be managing him, going into 2019/20 and beyond.

100 - David De Gea is the seventh goalkeeper to keep 100 Premier League clean sheets for a single club, and the second to do for Man Utd, after Peter Schmeichel. Fortified. pic.twitter.com/9wkMfzUKFt

How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed depleted Man United to draw with Liverpool after show of inexperience

Manchester United were walking wounded during their Premier League encounter with Liverpool at Old Trafford as the injury-hit side managed to secure a goalless draw on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford was struggling early in proceedings after riding a challenge from Jordan Henderson but had to soldier on for the full 90 minutes as injuries to Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and substitute Jesse Lingard – all the first half – saw the hosts blow through their quota of changes.

Despite that, the home team held firm and had the better chances over the course of a disappointing contest.

Solskjaer set his side up in a diamond 4-4-2 system and during a first half that was riddled with stoppages, due to injury, it held them in good stead. A narrow midfield helped congest the central areas and forced Liverpool wide from where they were unable to deliver quality crosses to hurt the Red Devils.

Meanwhile, United lost Herrera in the 21st minute with Lingard replacing Mata soon after, only to hobble off himself before half-time. Solskjaer was left with no substitutions to influence the second half and towards the closing stages the hosts were forced to retreat and defend deeper as they tired. However, they were never under any serious pressure.

TACTICAL TALKING POINT

Switch in shape

The flurry of injuries forced Solskjaer to rethink his 4-4-2 formation with a midfield diamond and he opted to switch to a more straightforward 4-3-3. A narrow midfield asked too much of a hobbling Rashford in a defensive capacity while also stretching Liverpool with runs in behind and out wide. Sanchez’s introduction meant he took up the left wing role with the England international through the middle.

That also seemed to open up another avenue to goal. Sanchez has looked a shadow of his former self at United but his crossing has been the one aspect of his game that’s still been menacing. With Lukaku moving to the right, the big Belgian was a target at the far post and the deep cross was always on. Unfortunately, Sanchez didn’t really capitalise on that mismatch between Lukaku and Andrew Robertson. Instead, it was the burly striker who delivered the more threatening crosses.

VERDICT

Solskjaer’s management of the players’ fitness levels must be questioned. Three muscle injuries inside 45 minutes does not bode well while Nemanja Matic was ruled out from the start. Bringing on Lingard was also a poor move. That said, he did well to tweak his system as per the circumstances and managed to get a solid performance out of a seriously depleted side in the second half.

Clubs

Man United 0-0 Liverpool: Player ratings as walking wounded dig in

Manchester United hampered bitter rivals Liverpool’s Premier League title bid with a damaging goalless draw, despite losing three players to injury before the break.

In a bitty contest low on quality and entertainment, Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and substitute Jesse Lingard all suffered apparent hamstring issues by 43 minutes. Striker Marcus Rashford also played on, even though he picked up a knock early doors.

All these factors went against them, but Brazil goalkeeper Alisson clawing the ball away from Lingard’s feet represented the brightest moment of a limp match.